Salts of polymers of compounds of aromatic nature possessing complexing cavities have already been produced by molecular electrochemistry techniques (1), these techniques involving an electrodeposition of certain polytriphenylenes on essentially non-corrodible supports, such as precious metals (platinum, gold) or vitreous carbons. The most common example relates to the polymerization of the compound known under the name DB-18-C-6 (I) to polytriphenylene: ##STR1##
The direct formation of a doped form of the polymer (doubtless of redox nature) has been demonstrated. These polymer salts can be easily reduced or "dedoped" by chemical agents such as tertiary amines or tetraalkylammonium hydroxides. It is possible, in this way, to obtain neutral, non-conductive resins which are resistant to chemical agents and to solvents, which have an electronic conductivity and which have both polyaromatic linkages and polyether units, obtained from certain biaromatic polyethers (II), ##STR2## in which the anodic activation is increased by the presence of donor groups on the aromatic systems (example: ether groups). When the polymerization is carried out at a sufficiently oxidizing potential, conductive polyparaphenylenes can be obtained by virtue of the high concentration of redox sites produced in the matrix (oxidation at 4 electrons per monomer unit). These redox sites make the material sufficiently permeable to the flows of electrons necessary for the growth in thickness of the films formed, by virtue of the electron jumps induced between these sites, during the development of the deposits. It has already been proposed to use such polymers for extracting certain metal ions present in aqueous or organic solutions brought into contact with them (2). However, they are not always effective, as regards, for example, removing (or recovering) traces of silver contained in certain effluents. The production costs are high. Difficulties also accompany the synthesis of the monomers, especially from hydroquinones, and then the oxidation of these monomers, which must be carried out at a fairly strongly oxidizing potential even if the aryl groups have been activated beforehand.